Apparatus for cutting the tops from beets



July 19, 1 949. w. E. uRscHEl.

n APPARATUS FOR CUTTING THE TOPS FROM BEETS 6 Sheets-Sheet l En .fll i Filed April 8, 194s Nm. wm. MM.

July 19, 1949. w. E. uRscHEL APPARATUS FOR CUTTING THE TOPS FROM BEETS 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 8, 1945 July 19, 1949. w` E. URscHEl.

APPARATUS FOR CUTTING THE TOPS FROM BEETS Filed April e, 194s e sheets-met 3 July 19, 1949. w. E. uRscHl-:L 2,476,336

APPARATUS FOR CUTTING THE TOPS FROM BEETS l Filed April 8, 1945 6 Shets-Sheet 4 lll 'JQQ

Z7 155 117139 jr@ ATTORNEKS` July 19, 1949. w. E. .uRscHEL 2,476,336

APPARATUS FOR CUTTING THE TOPS FROM BEETS Filed April 8, 1943 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 4 j//CZ jf.

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E n INVENTOR. jl Il E Zfc/ze 503 175' El@ mjm/T'mkmrv July 19, 1949. w. E. URscHEL APPARATUS FOR CUTTING THE TOPS FROM BEETS 6 Sheets-Sheetl 6 Filed April 8, 1945 Patented July 19, 1949 APPARATUS FOR CUTTING THE TOPS FROM BEETS William E. Urschel, Valparaiso, Ind.; Joe R. Urschel administrator of said William E.

Urschel, deceased Application April 8, 1943, Serial No. 482,227

12 Claims. (Cl. 14S-85) This invention relates to machines for harvesting sugar beets or other crops of similar characteristics. The invention is peculiarly adapted for sugar beets.

Among the objects of the present invention is to provide a means for properly positioning the body of the root crop relatively to cutting means for severing the crown of the root crop wherein the positioning means is constructed so that it can be readily repaired or replaced in the event of a breakdown.

So also one of the objects of the present invention is to provide such a crop positioning means to eliminate binding of the positioning means during operation.

Yet another object of the invention resides in providing crop positioning means which will shift the body of the root crop downwardly in small increments of movement without injuring the crown or top portion of the root crop, and which means at the same time will augment the feed,

and in fact will alone feed the cropY to the cutting means.

Yet another object of the invention resides in providing an elevator construction for carrying the root crop to a point of discharge wherein means is provided for eliminating mud or dirt which would otherwise tend to pack on the bottom of the elevator and interfere with the free operation of the elevator. Thus the elevator will perform efllciently when the soil is moist or muddy.

So also one of the objects of the invention is t provide an elevator wherein the crop is positively discharged from the elevator with a throwing action whereby the length of the elevator may be reduced and whereby the crop may be caught in a suitable receptacle positioned more remotely from the elevator; to provide these and other objects of invention as will be apparent from the following specication when taken inv connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational View of the sugar beet harvesting machine with one wheel and a portion of the elevator removed, better todisclose the various parts.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the puller` mechanism and the gauge wheel unit with the support for the gauge wheel unit broken away to show the gauge Wheels.

Figure 3 is a rear view of the front arch support of the puller mechanism.

Figure 4 is a side view of the idler rollers and an equalizer arm.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary plan view of the front end of the machine.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary side view of the wheel gauge unit.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of two links of the puller chain.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the leaf spring, equalizer bars.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary 'plan view of the wheel gauging unit with its support and drive.

Figure 10 is a rear sectional view of the wheel gauge unit taken on line IIl--Ill of Figure 1.

Figure 11 is a perspective view showing the arrangement of the parts for mounting and the operation of the puller sprockets.

Figure 12 is a rear sectional view ofthe harvester taken on line I2-I2 of Figure 1.

Figure 13 is a cross sectional view taken on the line I3--I3 of Figure 15.

Figure 14 is a sectional view of the side of the elevator taken on the line Il-Ili of Figure 13.

Figure 15 is a rear elevational view of the harvester.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to Figures 1, 5 and 12, they show that the machine comprises a main frame which includes two preferably rectangular hollow steel members 2 and 3 arranged in parallelism and having in- Wardly bent forward portions secured at their ends to a short transverse member 4, see Figure 5. The frame is preferably joined together by welding. Side members 2 and 3 are held in spaced relation by an inverted U-shaped piece 6, see Figure 5, which also serves as a support for the plow, the pullers and controls therefor. As shown in Figure 12, rearwardly of the cross frame 6 is another inverted U-shaped frame 1, welded to the side members 2 and 3. This U-shaped member 7 provides a support for the rear end of the puller frames, the crop positioning means, and

also serves to strengthen the frame at the point where the stub axles 8 and 9 are welded to the side frame members 2 and 3. This is clearly shown in Figure 12. The stub axles 8 and 9 are welded to the side members 2 and 3 directly below the point where the legs of the U-shaped member are welded. Triangular braces I0 and II, preferably of plate steel, are welded between the stub axles 8 and 9 and the side members 2 and 3, to provide a rigid mounting for the ground wheels I2. These ground wheels are rotatably mounted on the stub axles 8 and 9. At the rear end of the side member 3 a vertical angle I3 is Welded, see Figure 1. Directly opposite angle I3, and welded` to the side member 2, is another vertical angle, not shown, which is joinedfatiits upper end to the upper end of angle-Ig by a transverse angle I4. These three angle' bars/provide a support for the rear end of the cropljpositioning means, and also for the elevator hereinafter to be described. An angle bar I welded to the upper portion of the U-shaped member I6 extends rearwardly and is welded in turn tol U- shaped member 1 and vertical angle bar I3. Similarly, another angle iron I6 is welded to the corresponding members on the opposite sides of the frame. These angle bars I5 and I6 act as braces to strengthen the frame. At the front of the frame and welded to the member 4is a clevis 5 for coupling the machine to the draw bar of a tractor.

end in a bearing bracket I9, .see Figure 1, secured to the main frame member 3 and at the rear end is journaled in a bracket I8 which is bolted to the U-shaped member 1. See also Figure 12. This drive shaft I1 is driven by the power takeoff shaft of the tractor through the conventional type of universal joint assembly 20. The forward end of this universal joint 29 is secured in the splined take-off shaft of the tractor and the other end is pinned or keyed to the drive shaft I1.

Thus rotative power is transmitted to shaft I1 by the tractor which likewise pulls the harvester along the row of sugar beet plants to be harvested. A gear 2| which is keyed to this drive shaft I1 drives an idler gear 22 which in turn is rotatably mounted on a stud 24. This stud is securely xed in a bearing bracket I8. This idler gear 22 drives a gear 23 keyed to a shaft 25. This shaft 25 is suitably journaled in a bearing which is a part of bearing bracket i8. The rear end of shaft 25 is journaled in a bearing 26 bolted to the vertical angle iron I3. A sprocket 21 is secured on shaft 25 near the rear bearing 2B and provides a drive for the elevator, later to be described. By referenceto Figure 12 it will be seen that a bevel gear 28 is secured to shaft 25 adjacent to the bearing bracket I8 and drives a bevel gear 29 which is keyed to shaft 30. journaled in a bearing 3| forming a part 'of the bearing bracket I8. A sprocket 36 pinned to shaft 39 provides a drive for a portion of the crop positioning means and a universal joint 32 pinned to the upper extremity of shaft transmits power to the angularly disposed shaft 34 which is journaled in the bearing bracket 33. This bracket 33 is bolted to the Uv-shaped frame member 1. On the upper end of the shaft 34 is pinned a sprocket 35 from which is driven the cutting means and a portion of the wheel gauging unit. The drive within the various units will be described later.

A crop harvester is provided to assist the puller mechanism in pulling the embedded crop f rom the soil. This lifter is arranged to run in the ground under the crop for lifting it and for breaking up the soil about the crop so that the latter may be easily raised from the soil by the pulling mechanism.

Referring now to Figures 1, 5 and 11, the crop lifter is seen to consist of a substantially horizontal beam 4I having at its back or rear end a spur section 42 turned laterally downwardly and forwardly in support of a forwardly directed shovel 43. The beam 4I is pivotally connected at its forward end with the pin 44 carried preferably in the draw bar of the frame. Means is provided for adjusting the depth at which the a-nasse This shaft 30 is A crop lifter shall be Vmaintained and this consists of a vertical link 4l which at its upperend is pivotally connected with the forward end of an arm 46. This latter arm is fixed upon a cross 5 shaft 41 that is journaled in a plurality of bearing members 4l attached to the U-shaped member 6. A second arm 49 fixed to the shaft 41 is connected by means of a link 50 with an operating lever 5I. The latter lever is pivotally connected with the machine frame through a pin 52., The arrangement is such that an operator while in the driving seat of a tractor may grasp the end of the lever 5I which together with the conventional finger grip 53 for releasing the lever 5I from `the cooperating segment 54 will then pivot said lever 5I to change the elevation of the lifter or plow shovel 43. l

Means islikewise provided for grasping the leafy portions of the soil embedded crop, for gradually pulling thecrop upwardly free from the soil, and for conveying the crop to cutting means for severing the crown portion of the cropfand for discharging the severed portion into a conveyor so that the recovered severed crop portions may be disposed at a desired point while `the leafy portions and severed crown portions may be discharged at another remote point and free from the machine.

The puller mechanisms comprise right and left puller frames designated RP and LP. These puller frames are supported at their upper or rear ends by a rear arched bracket 58. The puller frames project 'downwardly and forwardly as shown in Figures 1 and 12. At the lower ends these puller frames are suspended by a, front or lower arch bracket 59 which has bearings 6U in which pins 6I are pivotally mounted. These pins 6I are secured to the puller frames LP and RP, as well shown in Figure 3. The pins 6I are retained in proper position in the bearings 60 of the arch bracket 59 by a washer and nut 63 which engages the threaded reduced diameter portions 62 of the pins 6I. Thus the arch bracket 59 holds the front or lower end of the puller frames in properly spaced position. This front arch bracket 59 is supported by a helical spring 64 which depends from the free end of arm 65, see Figure 1, and which arm 65 has its opposite end fixed on the shaft 41. This arm 65 is controlled by manually operated lever 5I through a link and an ar-m 49 connected to shaft 41. By supporting the front end of the puller frames by the spring 64, the lower ends of the puller frames may slide easily over any obstructions and follow the uneven contours of the ground. Extreme clockwise rotation of the hand lever 5I will cause the lower ends of the puller frame members to be lifted entirely clear of the ground into a transporting position.

The rear ends of these same puller frames are supported by the rear arch bracket 58, as shown in Figure 12. This bracket 58 has bearings 66 within which pins 61 are pivotally mounted.

These pins 61 are welded to the puller frames. Braces 69 are secured to the upper ends of pins 61 by cap screw 68, and retain the pins in their respective bearings of the arch support 58. The

braces 69 project forwardly to the lower ends of the puller frames and are secured thereto by the 70 bolts 10, see Figure 1. This construction strengthens the puller frames.

Referring now to Figure 12, this rear arch bracket 58 is swlngable about horizontal axes and to this end is pivotally mounted on the left side on the pin 12 which is secured in. the projection hand lever and likewise permits the front ends of the puller frames to move laterally to followlateral deviations of the row'of beet plantsl in the ground.

Fromthe foregoing description it will be noted that the front pins 6| secured to the puller frames and the two rear pins 61 also secured to the puller frames form the corners oi parallelogram. As each of these pins is pivotaliy mounted in its respective bearings, such construction permits of the lateral movement of the front ends of the pullers, as hereinbefore described.

A puller chain LC associated with the puller frame LP consists of a plurality of chain links 11, each of which has at one end a hook 18 which is connectible with an opposite end section 19 of the adjacent link, as shown in Figure 7. 'I'hese links are connected into endless chains in -such a manner that the flanges 88 are turned inwardly with such anges 88 at the upper part of the chain, The chain LC is carried upon a driving sprocket 8| and rides about a lower idler wheel 82, journaled in the lower end of the puller frame LP, see Figure 3. As shown in Figures 2, 4. and 8, a plurality oi idlers 88 associated with the puller frame for bearing outwardly against the inner side of the working flight of the puller chain LC, and with the exception of the uppermost thereof are arranged in pairs of which the individual rollers are journaled about the vertical pins 84. These pins are secured at the opposite ends of the equalizing arms 85 by the nuts 88. These arms 85 are pivotaliy supported at the ends of leaf spring 88 by studs 81 pivotaliy mounted in the bearings at each end of the leaf spring. This leaf spring 88 is pivotaliy mounted at its center on a stud 88 which is attached to the laterally adjustable plate 88. The plate 98 is attached to the puller frame LP by bolts 92 which pass through slots in the projection 8| of the puller frame. Thus the rollers 83 are yieldingly pressed outwardly against their associated puller chain and the force is diierentially applied to such chain because of the pivotal connection oi the arms 85 with the ends of the spring 88.

A puller chain RC associated with the puller frame RP similar to the puller chain LC is driven from the sprocket 93 and about the idler roller 94. A plurality of idler rollers 95 associated with puller frame RC are arranged in staggered relation with respect to idler rollers 83. The idler rollers 95 are journaled on studs secured by nuts 91 in brackets 96 which are welded at properly spaced intervals on the puller frame RP.

The puller frames RP and LP have at their lower ends skid shoes for'sliding along the surface of the ground to maintain the puller chains in proper position to grasp the leaf portions of the crop. These skid shoes terminate with the pointed portion which guides the leaf portion of the crop between the right and left puller chains.

Means is provided resiliently for urging the rear drive sprockets together. Referring to Figures 1, 2 and 9, the drive sprocket 8| of the left puller is secured to and driven by the shaft I 88,

which is journaled in the bearing bracket |8|. This bearing bracket |8| is supported by a subl frame comprised of the front cross member welded between the legs oi' the Ushaped-frame 1, a longitudinal member II 8 welded to the center i of cross piece III and extending rearwardly to another cross piece I2 which is secured between 5 vertical angle I8 and the opposite corresponding angle by clips ||8. At the upper end of bracket |8| are the ears |82 which hold the pin |84.

. This pin is pivotaliy mounted in the ear I 83 which is welded to the subframe member I |8'. Near the lo lower end of the bearing bracket I8| is another ear |85 in which a spring rod |81 is reciprocally mounted. The inner end of spring rod 81 is secured to the bracket ||8 which extends downwardly .from the subframe member ||8. A compression spring I 88 mounted on the spring rod I 81 is secured thereon by the nut |88 which adjusts the tension of the spring |88. In a like manner the sprocket 98 is secured to shaft ||1 which is Journaled in the bearing bracket ||8. The ears 20 ||9 hold the pin |2| which is pivotaliy mounted in the ear |28 (see Figure 11), welded to the subframe member ||8. The bearing bracket ||8 also haslthe ear |22 in which'the spring rod |25 is reciprocally mounted. The inner end of spring rod |25 is secured in an extension of the bracket |23 which bracket extends downwardly from the subframe'member 8. The spring |24 mounted on rod I 25 is retained thereon by the nut |26. Thus, the drive sprockets 8| and 83 are urged itogethennby the springs |88 and |25. As the bearing brackets |8| and I |8 are pivotaliy mounted on the pinsY |84and ||8 the sprockets 84 and 93 may move laterally against the urge of the. springs |88 and |25, to discharge foreign material which may be picked up lby the puller chains and to compensate for the varying density'of the cropfoliage. The puller driveshafts |88 and ||1 are driven by sprockets |21 and |28 which are pinned to said shafts at their upper extremities. The 40 sprockets |21 and |28 engage chain |29 which is driven by sprocket 38 on shaft 38, the drive of which has heretofore been described.

Means is provided positively and precisely for positioning the body of the sugar beet relatively to cutting means whereby the cutting means may sever a portion of the crown of the sugar beet. Inasmuch as the sugar beets grow in different positions in the ground, some of them with their crowns projecting upwardly above others, and since the puller frames grasp the foliage portions of the sugar beets and carry the sugar beets upwardly and rearwardly thereby, the crown portions of the sequential sugarbeets, as they are carried rearwardly by the conveyor, will be positioned variantly with respect to the' conveyor and the crown cutting mechanisms located thereunder. Therefore, means is provided for properly positioning each one of the crown portions of the sugar beets relatively to the crown severing cut-l ters. To this end, mounted below and towards the rear end of each puller chain is the crop positioning means for transferring the crop into.

predetermined relation with respect to the cutting mechanism. See Figures 1, 6, 9 and 10. This gauging or positioning means comprises a series of rotating, oppositely and staggeredly disposed sets of discs or wheels, each disc of the unit being disposed lower than the preceding disc, and the discs of one set being arranged in staggered relation with the discs of the opposite set. The discs or wheels of the left set for certain conditions may be made of yielding material such as rubber.'

Referring to Figure 10, the positioning disc |32 has the rubber disc |88 which is clamped between two plates |33 and |84 by the action of a nut |35 audace on the threaded lower portion of the shaft |31. Round plate |33 is welded or otherwise fastened to the shaft |31. This latter shaft is journaled in the bearing bracket |30 which in turn is hinged to the subframe member |l by pin |39` This pin is secured in the ears |60 of the bearing bracket |38 and is pivotally journaled in the projection i 4| welded to the subframe ||0. 4In a like manner, with the exception of the rearmost bearing bracket, each bearing bracket is hinged to the subframe member ||0. By reference to Figures 1 and 6 it will be noted that the rearmost disc of each set of positioning discs has the rear of the disc tipped downwardly towards the disc knives of the cutting means. These last positioning discs are inclined at an angle to the preceding disc in order to present the crop to the knives at such an angle as will obtain a proper cut of the crop. While .u is not necessary to set the rearmost disc at an angle with previous discs, experience has shown that a more satisfactory out is obtained on the crop' when the axes of the rearmost discs are more nearly parallel to the axes of the cutter discs LK and RK. If the angle between the positioning discs and the axes of the cutting discs is too great, the body of a small crop is raised upwardly while in the V formed between the two cutting discs and before the cutting edges of the cutting discs contact the body of the crop, the crop will be too high, with respect to the knives, to be cut in the proper place, and thus too much of the body of the small crop will be removed.

The rearmost bearing bracket |43 of the right set of positioning discs is pivotally mounted at its upper end in the bracket |42 which is welded to the subframe member H0. A similar bracket- |45 also welded to the subframe member ||0 provides a pivotal mounting for the upper end of the rearmost bearing bracket |46 of the left set of positioning discs.

Referring to Figures 9 and 10, a bracket |46 attached to subframe member i0 extends downwardly between the rst two bearing brackets |38 of a set of discs. In the lower end of this bracket |46 is secured the spring rod which extends through an enlarged aperture in the centrai portion of the spring bar |41. At each end of the spring bar |41 are apertures in which rest the studs |52 which are screwed in the lower end of bearing brackets |38. A spring |50 adjustably retained in spring rod |48 by nut |5i` urges the spring bar |41 against the brackets |38. As the apertures in the spring bar |41 are slightly larger than the diameter of the studs |52 to permit misalignment of the studs in their respective apertures, this construction is satisfactory. Thus, -being pivotally mounted at the top and spring, inwardly urged at the bottom, the bearing brackets |38 allow lateral movement of the discs |32 to compensate for the varying thickness of the foliage of the crop and to pass through any foreign material picked up by the machine. Similarly, a bracket |53 extends downwardly from subframe member i0 between` the last two bearling brackets of the left set of discs to hold spring v are also inwardly spring urged in an identical 8 manner as the left side and will not need further description to .be clearly understood. Shields |59 bolted to the bars' |58 confine the foliage of the crop in its proper path.

At the uppermost end of each of the drive shafts |31 of the discs, except for the rearmost disc of each set, are pinned sprockets |60 which engage the chain |29 in such a. manner as to receive proper rotation as shown in Figure 9. The rearmost discs drive shafts have pinned at their upper extremities sprockets |62 which engage the chain |63. Said chain is driven by sprocket 35 on shaft 34, as heretofore described.

When viewed from above, as in Figure 9, the discs of the left set have a clock-wise rotation and the discs of the right set when viewed from above have a counter-clockwise rotation. As each crop article is moved upwardly and rearwardly relatively to lthe machine between the opposite working flights of the puller chains RC and LC a section of the crop foliage will be carried between the opposed sets of positioning discs whereupon the discs will engage the foliage of the crop and assist the puller chains in carrying the crop rearwardly whil simultaneously each disc grips the foliage lower than the preceding disc until the body of crop is contacted by the discs, on further rearwardly movement of the crop, each succeeding disc pushes the crop lower until every crop article will be presented to the cutter discs LK and RK in such a position that a predetermined amount of the crop adjacent to the foliage will be removed by the cutter mechanism.

While the discs illustrated are made of a yielding material such as rubber, the discs on one side may be made of metal or other unyieiding material. Also, for some crops it might be desirable to make all the discs of metal. Notches may be provided in the periphery of the discs to give them a better grip on the foliage of the crop. Also the number and thickness of the discs may be varied to suit various conditions and crops.

The cutting mechanism which is comprised of the two rotary cutting discs RK and LK is mounted to the rear of and partly under the rearmost gauging wheel. See Figures 1, 9, Iand 15. The disc knives LK and RK are secured to their respective drive shafts which are journaled in the arch bracket |65. Said arch bracket is pivotallymounted on pins |66 which are secured in bracket |06 on the left side and bracket |22 on the right side. The bracketsrlS :and |22' extend downwardly from subframe member H0 to which they are attached. At the upper extremity of each knife drive shaft is secured a universal joint |-61 which in turn is secured to the vertical shaft |68 journaled in the bearings |69. These bearings |69 are bolted to the subframe member H2. At the upper end of each shaft |68 is pinned the sprockets |69 which engage the chain |63. To guide the chain |63 in a position to drive the knife in the proper rotation an idler sprocket |10 is rotatably mounted on a stud |1|, secured in the bracket |12 which is attached to the subframe member H2. By providing the universal joint in the drive of the disc cutters. the arch bracket |65 may be pivoted yabout the pins |66 'to vary the amount of the lbody of the crop which is cut away with the foliage. The posi-tion of the cutters is controlled by a conventional type hand lever |13 with its co-acting segment |14' which is mounted on the frame angle The hand lever |13 has the arm |15 which is connected to the arch bracket ear |11' by the linkage |16.

When the crop is severed by the knives LK and RK, it will fall into the receiving section |14 of the -crop elevator mechanism for carrying the crop upwardly and laterally with respect to the machine and'discharging the crop into an accompanying receiver such as the box of a wagon or truck. The elevator mechanism has a frame |14 of which the lower position comprises a pair of similar shaped front and backv frame members |15 and |16 held in spaced relation by a plurality of rod holders |18, as shown .in Figure 13. The forward elevator frame member |16 is secured to the vertical mainframe angles |3' and its opposed mate. The rear elevator frame member |14 is secured to the vertical Aangle |19 welded to the rearmost portion of the main frame member 2 and to the extension |83 which is welded tothe main frame member 3. A strap member |84 joins the elevator frame member |15 to the frame extension |83. A vertical angle |80 welded to the joined to the vertical angle |19 at the upper position by the transverse angles |8|. The front and rear elevator frame members may be joined together by a suitable number of cross members such as angle |82. A bent angle member |85 welded to elevator frame member |15 and the upright angle |80 acts as a brace for elevator frame member |15. A similar bent angle is welded between the elevator frame member |16 and the vertical frame angle I3. A frame extension member |89 is detachably connected with and extends upwardly from the left side of the frame |11. The rear side of the frame extension |89 is formed by the angle |90 and the formed angle |9|, joined at their upper ends by the bracket |92. The front side of the frame |89 is formed by a similar arrangement having members which correspond to the angle '|90, the formed angle |9| and the elevator frame angle |15 extends upwardly and is v bracket |92. A pair of ears |86 on the inner end t of the extension |89 overlaps mating ears |86 on the left side of the frame 11 and pin |81 is disposed mutually within apertures in these ears to provide a connecting means between the frame |11 and the extension |88. Additional connecting means is provided by the links |93 disposed in the ears |94 of the frames |11 and in ears |95 of the extension |89. The rods |99 and the pins |81 are easily removed when it is desired to disassociate the extension |89 from the frame |11 to render the harvester more easily transportable.

A pair of bearing brackets |92 respectively attached to the upper end of the front and back sides of the frame extension, as shown in Figure I5, provides bearings for the elevator drive shaft |96 which has sprockets |91 fixed thereon adjacent to each of its ends. To guide the elevator chain in its proper path, the following sprockets are provided in lateral alignment with the drive sprocket |91; sprocket |98 rotatably mounted in stud |99 secured in the bracket |92, sprocket 200., journaled on stud 28| also secured in bracket |92, sprocket 203 journaled on stud 202 xed in the rod holder |18, as shownin Figure 13, sprocket 204 on stud 205 secured on another rod holder |18, and sprocket 201 journaled on stud 206 attached to the plate 208 which is welded to the angles |8| and |19. The elevator frame also carries sprockets respectively coaxial with said sprockets |98, 200, 203, 204, and 201, disposed adjacently to the front side of the elevator frame and inA lateral alignment with the frontmost of the sprockets |91.

bars, thus separating any loose dirt from the crop.

' The elevator belt is made up of a chain 2|0 rotated in the direction shown in Figure 15 about the sprockets |91, |98, 200, 203, 204, and 201, and another chain 2|| similarly carried on the sprockets arranged coaxially with the just recited sprockets. Carried between and by the two elevator chains 2|0 and 2|| are a plurality of elevator slats or partition members 2|2, which on movement of the elevator chain contact the crop after it drops from the cutter LK and RK |14 onto the rods 209 and push the crop upwardly along on top of the rods 209. The elevator slats 2|2 have a lower section 2|3 from which fingers 2 |4 project between the rods 209. As the elevator slats 2|2 move along on top of the rods 209, the fingers 2|4 will remove any mud or trash which tends to collect on the rods 209, thus assuringl gages the elevator drive chain 2|5. This drive chain is driven by sprocket 21 on shaft 25, the drive of which has heretofore been described.

Side plates 2|6 secured to the rod holders |18, as shown in Figure 13, retain the crop within the elevator.

Referring to Figure 15, it will be seen that as the crop is being discharged, the elevator chains are beginning to wrapabout the idler sprocket 200 and the coaxially disposed mating sprocket. Due to the fact that the elevator slats 2|2 travel about the center of the sprocket at a greater radial distance than the pitch diameter of the elevator chains, an increased velocity will be imparted to the elevator slats. Thus. the elevator slats will discharge the crop from the elevator bctween the front and rear elevator chains with a.

throwing action. c

-In operation, the present machine is pulled down the row of crop by any suitable tractor. The clevis 5 on the front end is hinged to the draw barof the tractor and the machinery of the harvester rotated by the power take-oir shaft of the tractor through a universal joint assembly 20 which is attached to the drive shaft |1 of the machine. The harvester is pulled down the row of crop so that the line where the puller chains RC and LC come together is in direct registry with the crop row. As the harvester advances down the crop row, the foliage of the crop is engaged between the endless puller chains RC and LC which exert an upward pull on the foliage of above the surface of the ground. Due to this condition, the foliage of the crop will beengaged by the puller chains at various heights above the bodyfof the crop. To ensure that each crop will be uniformly severed at its upper end, the discs position the crop being conveyed rearwardly by the puller chains in such a manner that the tops of crops will all be in the same plane. IAs the foliage of the crop passes between the discs, each disc engages the foliage at a point lcloser to the body of the crop which action continues until the top of the crop is in abutting relation to the lower surface of a discwhereupon on further movement of the crop through the discs, the crop will be pushed downwardly until it is in position to be carried through the abutting edges of the oppositely disposed cutters RK and LK. The puller chains at the rear end of the pullers above the discs must be adjusted to hold to the foliage of the crop lightly enough to permit the foliage to slide transversely in the puller chains when so urged by the discs to prevent breaking the foliage of the crop before the crop is presented to the cutters. After the crop is brought in abutting relation to the lower surface of a disc, the succeeding discs continually regrip the foliage which action tends to gather in the loose foliage. The discs, while positioning the crop transversely to the puller chain, also aid the puller chain in carrying the crop rearwardly. After the upper end or crown of the crop is in abutting relationship to the lower surface of the rearmost disc, the crop is carried rearwardly between the cutter discs RK and LK which sever the foliage and the crown or top portion of the crop from the body of the crop. When severed from the foliage the body of the crop falls into the elevator and the foliage is discharged from the machine by the puller chains.

With reference to the crop positioning means it will be noted that it is a sort of gauging mechanism for leveling up the crowns of the beets, preparatory to removing the foliage and the crowns. In this unit the beets travel in a predetermined path and are guided on both'sides by the oppositely disposed, staggeredly arranged, discs which are held in proper positions b'y the tension springs. These discs thus hold the grasped foliage under tension while at the same time the discs position the body of the beet successively downwardly until it is properly positioned with respect to the cutting discs.

It will be noted that the gauging or positioning unit is composed of two rows of rotating discs which overlie each other in the row so that the discs in each row register in staggered relation with the discs of the opposing row. It will be further noted that this predetermined path formed by the discs is not even in width, but is wider at certain points, for instance at points where three of the discs are equal distances from each other, and at these points there is but little gripping on the foliage by the discs, which lessened gripping allows the body of the beet a freer action to slip down to its proper position. At the same time the grip of the chains is not of suicient tension to interfere with this downward pment. In this connection it is to be noted'that sitioning movement caused by the discs abutting the curved crowns o the beets. In this connection, at these zones of wider spacing between the the harvester is pulled about three miles per hour and the beets travel back in the machine at the same speed which is about 4.4 feet per second. Beets pass through or by the whole set of positioning discs |32 in one third of a second. It is therefore necessary to consider what happens to a beet in that one third of a second. The beet is hit first on one side and then on the other, in succession. The beets vibrate an instant as they pass through the stepped discs, and then o comes the crown of the beet as it passes between the opposed cutters. all taking place in less than a half a second. The puller chains above, move the beet tops at the same rate of speed as the discs |32 do. The puller chains serve two main purposes as they carry the tops over the positioning discs in that they help to hold up the beets and also help to discharge the toPS to the rear. The momentum of the beets traveling at this speed prevents them from dropping downwardly when the foliage comes to the wider spaces between the discs. As the beet passes between the discs each disc will successively contact the foliage a little further down in a direction toward the crown and then as the succeeding discs contact the crown on opposite sides of the crown the root cropof the beet will be alternately depressed on either side of the crown whereby to force the beet down with a sort of alternate bobbing action as it passes between the various successively positioned discs located on opposite sides of the path of travel of the beet.

By locating the discs on opposite sides of the path of the beet in staggered relation, certain forward feeding of the beet by the discs is assured, and by arranging the discs in stepped relation, smaller increments of downward push are imparted to the crown of the beet whereby greater preciseness in positioning the beet with respect to the line of cut of the disc knives may be attained, and further, less harm can possibly come to the beet due to any possible pinching action that the opposed discs may have upon the crown of the beet.

One of the important advantages of this type of beet positioning device resides in the fact that these discs could be -considerably worn and stili work efficiently. Furthermore, an ordinary blacksmith in a farm community can repair these discs quite easily.

Another advantage resides in the fact that the disc action prevents the bruising of the main crops, be they sugar beets or gladioli bulbs or any other type of root adaptable for operation by this machine.

My present invention, using a series of relatively thin, overlapping, stepped discs possesses many advantages over my prior Patent 1,905,194 showing the use of overlapping gauge chains operating in pairs, which requires a number of sprocket wheels and chains. Sugar beet tops have a sweet juice in them which gets squeezed out onto accumulating soil on the chain and on everything else, and sugar beet farmers are very reluctant4 to use a harvester which requires continuous cleaning. My present invention, utilizing the positioning discs, provides a construction which stays substantially clean. Furthermore, the discs are much thinner than the chains of my prior invention, and being so much thinner, are not as severe on the beets when shifting them to 'different positions. The soil-covered beets are continually bringing gritty soil to the overlapping gauge chains and the chains therefore unneces- 13 sarily wear out and are relatively short lived. Furthermore, in the present invention,\using the discs, the beets move so. fast that .they have no time to drop before they are given a'forward impetus by the next succeedingopposed set of discs. It is thought that the invention and numerous of its attendant advantages will be apparent from the foregoing illustrative description and it is obvious that numerous changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention or sacrificing any of its attendant advantages, the form herein described being a preferred embodiment for the purpose of illustrating the invention.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. A beet harvester comprising conveying means for the beet plants, said conveying means having gripping surfaces for engaging the leafy portions of the beet plants for conveying the beets thus suspended by said leafy portionstalong a predetermined path, series of rotating, fiat, substantially thin discs disposed in stepped overlapping arranagement on opposite sides of and longitudinally of the path of travel of the beets while being conveyed along said path by said conveying means, the discs of one series being arranged in staggered relation with respect to the discs of the opposite series in order to cause the discs to' propel the plant therebetween and for enabling the discs to progressively downwardly shift the position of said roots in said conveying means, and means in association with said discs for severing said beets from said tops.

2. A beet harvester comprising conveying means for gripping and suspending beets by their leafy portions for conveying the beets along a predetermined path. rotatable discs on each side of said' path and disposed in overlapping relation longitudinally of the path of travel of the beets for engaging the beet roots and for moving the beets in al direction downwardly of said conveying means for positioning the crowns of the beet roots, the discs on one side of the path being arranged in staggered relation with respect to the discs on the opposite side of the path.

3. A beet harvester comprisingmeans for gripping the leafy portions of beets for conveying the beets along a predetermined path, op-

posed sets of oppositely rotating discs disposed at each side of said path of travel of said beets for engaging the beet roots and for moving the beets transversely of` said conveying meansl the discs of each set being arranged in overlapping relation and the discs of the opposed set being arranged in staggered relation and the discs in each set being dispose lower and lower in the direction ofmovement of the beets conveyed by said conveying means whereby progressively to move the beets transversely of said conveying means.

4. A beet harvester comprising means for conveying beets along a predetermined path and relatively fiat discs at each side of said conveyor 'and disposed on opposite sides of said conveyor4 and longitudinally of said conveyor, means for rotating said discs on opposite sides of said path in a direction to assist the feeding action of said beets in the direction of travel imparted to said beets by said-conveying means, said discs being disposed in parallel overlapping relation to each other, and said discs lying in progressively lowered parallel planes as said beets are conveyed by said conveying means, and a final set of discs disposed on opposite posed at an acute angle to the last of the parallel set of discs, and severing discs adapted to sever the crowns of beets positioned by said angularly disposed discs.

5. A beet harvester comprising means adapted to grip the leafy portions .of the beets to convey them along a predetermined path, oppositely rotatable discs disposed below and on opposite sides of an intermediate portion of said conveying means and longitudinally thereof for grasping the leafy portions of the conveyed beets at points below the portions thereof grasped by said conveying means, said discs being disposed in parallel overlapping relation, each succeeding disc underlying the next preceding disc in the direction of the length of the conveyor from front to back, whereby to move the beets downwardly as they are fed along the path of travel of the conveying means, crown severing means associated with the v rearmost of said discs, said conveying means extending beyond the zone of action of said severking means whereby to carry the severed leafy portions and crowns away from said severing zone.

6. A beet harvester comprising means for gripping the leafy portions of beets for conveyingv them along a predetermined path, a plurality of relatively flat discs disposed in substantially parallel staggered relation on opposite sides of and longitudinally of the path of travel of the conveying means, certain of said discs` having rubber gripping faces, means for rotating said discs, said discs being disposed in overlapping.

substantially vertically stepped relation to engage the crowns of said beets and lower the same transversely of the path of travel of said beets, severing means disposed at the end of said discs for severing the crowns oi said beets, and means' for rotating said sets of discs whereby to assist in the longitudinal feed of said beets along the path of travel of said conveying means.

7. A beet harvester comprising means for gripping the leafy portions of beets for conveying the same along a predetermined path of travel, and opposed stepped series of rotary discs disposed in staggered relation on opposite sides of the path of travel of said beets for alternately engagingv the opposite diametrical sides of beets as they are carried along by said conveying means for Apushing the beets' downwardly with respect to said conveying means in increments of movement whereby to lower the position of the crowns of said beets to a predetermined position.

8. A beet harvester comprising means for gripping the leafy portions of beets for conveying the same along a predetermined path of travel, opposed, elongated series of relatively thin rotary discs disposed in stepped overlapping relation on opposite sides of said path of travel, the discs of one series being staggered relatively tothe opposite series whereby successively to engage opposite sides of the crown of the beet as it is conveyed by said iirst mentioned conveyor for proy gressively pushing down on said beets to lower them to predetermined position as they travel. and severing means for severing the crowns of the beets.

9. A conveyor suspending root crops comprising travelling members for gripping the leaves of the* root crops therebetween and for conveying the same along, cutting means in the path of said conveyor, crop positioning means comprising elongated sets of overlapping fiat discs disposed sides of the conveyor and discon each side o! the path of suspended crops and below the travelling members and in front of the cutting discs, means for mounting the discs of each set so that said discs are in staggered relation with respect to the discs of the opposite set in a direction longitudinally of the path of travel of the. crop while conveyed by the travelling members whereby to provide a continuous space between the discs of opposed sets, which space is alternately narrow and then relatively wider, and through which space the leaves of the suspended crop pass. and means for oppositely rotating said discs whereby to cause the discs to alternatelyfirst grip and forwardly propel the leaf portion and root crop of the beet in the same direction as the root crop is propelled by the travelling members, and for thereafter relatively releasing the grip on the leaves of the beet and for ultimately causing the crown of the beet to contact the underside of the rotating cutting discs to position the crown of the beet at a predetermined location with respect to the zone of action of the cutting discs whereby to top the crown of the beet.

10. A beet harvester comprising a pair of upwardly inclined, endlessconveying members adapted to grip the leaves of a beet therebetween to convey the beet along an upward path with the root of the beet below the conveying means, a series of parallel rotating discs disposed in stepped relation on each side oi! the path of travel of the beet, said discs being relatively at and circular, the discs of each series being disposed in staggered relation on opposite sides of the path of travel so as to provide an irregular elongated opening between the opposed sets of discs through which the leaf portion of the crop is adapted to travel with the root portion of the crop underlying said discs.

' 11. A beet harvester comprising a pair of upwardly inclined, endless conveying members adapted to grip the leaves of a. |beet therebetween to convey the beet along an upward path with the root of the beet hanging below the conveying means, a series of parallel rotating discs disposed in steppedrelation on each side of the path of travel of the beet, said discs being relatively flat and circular, the discs of each series being disposed in staggered relation on opposite sides of the path of travel so as to provide an irregular elongated opening between the opposed sets of discs through which the lea! portion of the crop is adapted to travel with the root portion of the circular, the discs of each series being disposed in staggered relation on opposite sides of the path of travel so as to provide an irregular elongated opening between the opposed sets of discs through which the leal portion of the crop is adapted to travel with the root portion of the crop underlying said discs, the last pair of discs being discrop underlying said discs, and cutter means u posed at an angle to the remainder of the discs,

and a pair of cutters disposed with their axes o! revolution disposed substantially parallel to the axes of revolution of the last mentioned discs and adjacent the end of the path of travel formed by said discs to sever the crowns of the beets when positioned by the discs being conveyed.

E. URSCHEL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ille of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 160,945 Ockershausen Mar. 16, 1875 566,793 Parsons Sept. 1, 1896 621,744 Bowden Mar. 21, 1899 833,456 Goodfellow Oct. 16, 1906 1,028,797 Stromberg June 4, 1912 1,041,003 Binder Oct. 15, 1912 1,405,885 Woodson Feb. 7, 1922 1,442,963 Moore Jan. 23, 1923 1,568,594 Flint Jan. 5, 1926 1,723,591 Watkins Aug. 6, 1929 1,905,194 Urschel Apr. 25, 1933 1,964,896 Urschel July 3, 1934 2,056,286 Morgan Oct. 6, 1936 2,074,677 Urschel Mar. 23, 1937 2,183,631 Urschel Dec. 19, 1939 2,230,139 Gustin Jan. 28, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date Great Britain 1930 

